Barcelona commuter train derailment kills driver
Heavy rain collapse injures dozens and disrupts rail services
Firefighters inspected the wreckage of a commuter train that derailed near Gelida on the outskirts of Barcelona after a containment wall collapsed onto the track during heavy rain. The driver was killed and 37 people were injured, four seriously; all passengers were evacuated and the wounded taken to hospitals. Emergency services dispatched ambulances and numerous firefighting units, and responders said most injuries were cuts, bruises or fractures while several patients required urgent care.
The collapse of the retaining wall caused several carriages to tilt or leave the rails, throwing passengers into panic as luggage and debris were tossed inside compartments. Some travelers were briefly trapped in damaged carriages before rescue teams freed them; others evacuated unaided. Images from the scene showed derailed cars, lined emergency vehicles and workers assisting the injured.
The derailment occurs days after a separate high-speed train collision and derailment in Córdoba province that killed 42 people, heightening concerns over rail safety and infrastructure reliability. Authorities stressed it is too early to draw a link between the incidents and said each accident is being investigated separately. Preliminary inquiries into the Gelida crash will review track conditions, the impact of severe weather, signaling systems, train speed and potential mechanical failures.
Services on the affected commuter line were suspended while investigators and repair crews cleared tracks and assessed structural damage, causing delays and cancellations across the network and disrupting thousands of journeys. The regional government ordered a full investigation and said it will review safety protocols and maintenance procedures once initial findings are available.
Rail unions and passenger groups called for greater transparency and increased investment in infrastructure maintenance, warning that aging tracks, heavy usage and extreme weather are raising risks. Officials acknowledged public concern and said restoring confidence in rail travel and ensuring accountability for any failures uncovered by probes will be priorities as investigations continue.
